Pandya was accused of preventing Tilak Varma from completing his fifty and left him stranded on 49 runs.
While it is rare that a player faces criticism for smashing a match-winning six, it was the case for India’s T20 skipper Hardik Pandya. The dynamics shifted last night in Guyana as Pandya lofted a colossal six to secure a much-needed victory for his team. Despite India’s triumphant seven-wicket win, Pandya found himself under scrutiny on social media.
He was accused of preventing Tilak Varma from completing a fifty and left him stranded on 49 runs. Interestingly, the spotlight remained fixed on the comparison between Pandya and the legendary MS Dhoni. This comparison was fueled by the memory of Dhoni enabling Virat Kohli to clinch a triumphant victory with the bat during a T20 World Cup match against South Africa.
Amid the ongoing criticism directed towards Hardik Pandya, an intriguing conversation between Tilak and his captain was captured by the stump microphone. In this exchange, Pandya could be heard encouraging Varma to conclude the game. At that moment, Tilak had scored 44 runs off 32 balls, with India requiring 12 runs from the remaining 23 deliveries.
Pandya said, “Tereko especially khatam karna hai, rukna hai. Gendo ka fark padta hai (You have to stay there and finish the game. The number of balls faced makes a difference.”
— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) August 9, 2023
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Hardik’s intention was clear – he desired Tilak to secure the winning runs. However, circumstances veered off course after the left-handed batter managed to accumulate five runs from the following five balls. With Pandya himself at a score of 12 runs from 12 balls, the opportunity presented itself perfectly when a slower ball suited his style. Pandya capitalized on the situation, swinging his bat with force and launching the ball soaring over long-on.
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